Women in Britain by Janet H. Howarth

Author:Janet H. Howarth [Howarth, Janet H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Great Britain, General, Social History, Social Science, Women's Studies
ISBN: 9781786734242
Google: MxKEDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2018-11-29T04:34:18+00:00

But the husband cannot be guilty of a rape committed by himself upon his lawful wife, for by their matrimonial consent and contract the wife hath given herself up in this kind unto her husband which she cannot retract ….

It may be taken that the proposition was generally regarded as an accurate statement of the Common Law of England. The common law is, however, capable of evolving in the light of changing social, economic and cultural developments. Hale’s proposition reflected the state of affairs in these respects at the time it was enunciated. Since then the status of women, and particularly of married women, has changed out of all recognition in various ways which are very familiar and upon which it is unnecessary to go into detail. Apart from property matters and the availability of matrimonial remedies, one of the most important changes is that marriage is in modern times regarded as a partnership of equals, and no longer one in which the wife gives her irrevocable consent to sexual intercourse with her husband under all circumstances …. In modern times any reasonable person must regard that conception as quite unacceptable.

[1992] 1 AC, 599 Regina v. R., pp. 615–16.

4. xv Attempts by the Blair government to repeal Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, which banned local authorities and schools from providing sex education that ‘promoted’ homosexuality, ran into prolonged opposition. Janet Young (1926–2002), a leading campaigner against liberalising the law on homosexuality, was a former Leader of the House of Lords and the only woman appointed by Margaret Thatcher to Cabinet office. Baroness Gould of Potternewton (Labour) was President of the Family Planning Association; Lady Saltoun of Abernethy a Scottish hereditary peeress and Crossbencher.

Hansard, HL Deb, 6 Dec 1999, cc 1049–50, 1079–84.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL

Second Reading

Baroness Young … I now turn to Clause 68 …. The intention is to promote homosexuality ….

Nor would it make it possible to say that marriage is best. It tells young children – remember that it applies to both primary and secondary schools – that a homosexual relationship is the same as a heterosexual one. It is not. Nor do I believe that the overwhelming majority of people in this country believe that it is the same. But if Clause 68 is agreed it will promote something that children are far too young to understand. Above all, it goes against the tradition of family and undermines responsible parents.

The proper use of teaching and sex education – to prevent bullying and to answer proper questions from those who are worried or unhappy – can be conducted under the present law. But of one matter I am certain: if Clause 68 is agreed it will open the floodgates to very unsuitable material appearing in schools for the use of children. It will encourage many children to pursue a path which most responsible parents do not believe is right …

Baroness Gould of Potternewton … I wish to concentrate my brief remarks on Clause 68 of the Bill and to welcome the repeal of … Section 28 of the Local Government Act of 1988 ….

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.